LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION Sligo Rovers 0 Bohemians 1: BOHEMIANS HAD to withstand a spirited rally before securing three points in a gripping game at a rain-soaked Showgrounds last night.
Brendan McGill's first-half strike was enough to push Pat Fenlon's side 13 points clear at the top and edges them closer to their 10th title.
If the chasing pack were hoping Rovers might put a dint in the visitors' relentless march towards the title, Paul Cooke's side kept that faint hope alive for most of the 90 minutes.
Home goalkeeper Richard Brush had an anxious moment early on when he dropped the greasy ball with Jason Byrne ready to pounce.
Danny Ventre tested Brian Murphy in the visitors' goal in the 10th minute as the home side pressed forward.
McGill put the visitors ahead in the 27th minute, catching Brush off guard with a neat finish after a good build-up.
The Sligo defence was shaky at times in the first half with Brush showing uncharacteristic lapses, while at the other end the visitors defensive structure dealt capably with everything that Sligo threw at them.
Sligo had the ball in the net in the 63rd minute following a Brian Cash free-kick that dropped among a ruck of players in the box but the goal was ruled out.
SLIGO ROVERS:Brush, Ventre, Butler, Peers, Almeida, O'Grady, Cash, Ryan, McDaid, Cretaro, Doherty. Subs: McTiernan for McDaid, Greene for Doherty (both 80).
BOHEMIANS:Murphy, O Heary, Powell, Rossiter, Burns, McGuinness, McGill, T Heary, Crowe, Byrne, Brennan. Subs: Fenn for Byrne (84).
Referee:I Stokes (Dublin).
